The travel day and first few days were pretty warm and humid with thunderstorms and heavy, thick air. At one of our favorite beaches in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore, we were attacked by biting flies. Coming from the 17-year cicadas and oak nymph and mosquito bites, this was a bit rough. We perservered, though, and enjoyed dinners out on two nights at St. Ambrose Cellars. Zach played bocce ball with strangers. (Good for him!) Frank and I enjoyed pizza, beer, and mead.
While I worked a couple of days, Frank and Zach took bike rides along the Betsie River Trail around Crystal Lake. We took a family bike, rollerblade, and sandbar adventure on Friday. Lovely. In the later afternoons, Zach and I went tubing on the Platte River and got ice cream in Frankfort before he jumped off the pier into Lake Michigan. A local mom with lifeguard credentials watched out for Zach! Thanks, Eileen.
We loved our house adjacent to Crystal Mountain Resort. Zach, in particular, loved the jacuzzi tub, dart board, and converted one of the bunk rooms into his beach ball volley ball court. (He also broke out his Lego Boost.) I walked the resort roadways every morning; Frank and I checked out their outdoor sculpture art park separately; and Zach and Frank enjoyed the alpine slide two days. On our last day, Zach and I took the main gondola to the top to take in the view. (I failed to board the gondola properly and got massive purple bruises on both calves.) Our last night in the area, we also visited the Iron Fish Distillery and enjoyed craft cocktails, tacos, and fries on a lovely evening.
As the weather turned truly glorious mid-week, we enjoyed lovely beach days in Traverse City (Greilickville Beach and on the west side of the East Arm). I bought a ton of wonderful local food a the farmer's market; we visited the Grand Traverse Commons and Left Foot Charley, Spanglish, and the Pleasanton Bakery; checked out two wineries, Rove and Mari; and had lunch at the Farm Club after an awesome hike on the Empire Bluffs trail.
Delightful.
Second stop: Manitou Beach, MI (on Lake Huron) near Rogers City
On Sunday, we headed northwest to a cottage right on Lake Huron. Driving in, we passed the Moran Iron Works and the massive sculptures of heads that are scatterered near Onaway, MI. (A little freaky, frankly.)
The cottage was tiny and cozy and VERY CLOSE to other house. However, no one occupied in any of the nearby houses except for Sunday night. We watched freighters in the distance, spent time in the water on the sandbar out a ways playing tube basketball. Kind of crazy; the Great Lakes are so vast and unsalted, shark-free, and fresh, sometimes frozen. Zach and Frank got out their wet suits and snorkel gear. Zach aquired a jet ski floatie, Wave Rider, and had a blast with it in Charlevoix and on Lake Huron.
We visited Hoeft State Park, traveled the Hunron-Sunrise Trail, and bought some devine baked goods at the Three Heart Bakery. Zach and I toured the 40-Point Lighthouse that is still a working lighthouse shining 10 seconds on and 10 seconds off overnight. We met Muffin, Dennis, Sue, Nancy, Tom, and Rick, and Muffin was so hospitable (read: he showed Zach all the whistles he could sound) that we went back a second time just to say hi. We also checked out New and Old Presque Isle Lighthouses. Zach now wants to be a firefighter, police officer, lifeguard, sailor, or illustrator (like Terry from the Treehouse books).
Two non-stop fun days: Mackinac Island and rafting on the Sturgeon+Charlevoix/Polecat+dinner in Petoskey.
Mackinac Island
We all enjoyed the ferry ride over; we went under the Mackinac bridge! Zach loved visiting the fort (cannons and period rifle demo); I was conflicted. We found the Watercolor Cafe for a nice lunch that included blueberry lemonade and smoothies. We rollerbladed and biked on the trail. Zach and Frank took off overland, and checked out a cave, Arch Rock, and the airport. I bladed back and enjoyed an Arnold Palmer in the park. We ended the day with ice cream from Sanders, recommended by Korene from Jamaica.
Sturgeon+Charlevoix/Polecat+dinner in Petoskey
Driving to the Sturgeon River to raft, we rocked out to local radio and passed huge fields of sunflowers and the heads in/around Onaway. We took a rock to the windshield and had to stop for a repair kit. (Windshield to be replaced now that we're back home.) Zach was a great helper rafting, and we did many 360s (six were unintentional). After the two-hour raft trip, we continued on to Charlevoix, and had lunch on the beach. Frank, Zach, and I spent the afternoon on/in Lake Charlevoix and enjoyed the Lily Pad. I caught up with Nancy, and Edgardo prepped the golf cart for Zach to ride with Sara Gay. They had a blast, and I believe she let Zach steer at one point! We headed up to Petoskey and picked up dinner to go from the Back Lot Beer Garden and ate outside at Bayfront Park. We got back after 9pm, and it was straight to bed. I love it, though, as we all had a blast on two 11 and 12-hour road tripper days!
Zach and I practiced daily gratitude, and long days (and sunscreen application) and so much fun and excitement (darts, alpine slides, beachball volleyball) did bring up some strong emotions; we talked about how we feel our feelings; we aren't our feelings. We learned that Zach matches yelling with yelling, and when he forgot about taking off his wetsuit before going inside, we made up a song to help.
On our drive home, Zach finished his story, The Spot on the Wall; he dictated it to me; he illustrated it. We enjoyed almost all of Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk and ate lots of sandwiches (hummus for Zach and salami for me and Frank), some cheddar chips (which Zach doesn't like), smoothies for Frank, more Arnold Palmers for me, and an ice cream sandwich and oj, which caused a tummy ache for Zach. He anxiously waited for the tunnel at mile 122 on the PA Turnpike, and it provided a brief respite from a deluge of rain!
Check out all the photos here.
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